V1 Dan's #495 build (2006 SS/SC)

[TheAnesthetist]

Oh jeebs. A $3 tap will save you tons of headaches. Don't run the bolt in with an impact gun if you're not sure. Please.

Last sentence of post #216. I've run a tap in there several times. Either my 3/8-16 tap is labeled incorrectly or those threads get tighter towards the bottom of the boss.

I ended up shortening my headlight bolt.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

A while back I acquired another complete-ish LSJ. From what I can tell, it has a new water pump, new starter, new alternator, gutted a/c compressor and I'm told it has a new timing set. It's also just a lot prettier and less corroded than my original donor motor. It's missing the intercooler pump and all the associated tubing. I'm not sure of the status of the clutch and the fella I bought it from had never heard it run. Also, someone annoyingly removed the lift points.

My plan was to pull the original motor and swap over all the missing parts (including the clutch) to the new one. Now that I've started that process I'm wondering if that's the best course of action. Seems like a heck of a lot of effort to swap in an engine that I'm not 100% certain is healthy.

I think I'll remount the original engine and keep the prettier one as a backup.

 

[Gtstorey]

Did you at least compression check/leak down test it?

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Did you at least compression check/leak down test it?

I haven't done anything other than a visual inspection. I was tempted to swap it in just because it looks better but I think I'll press on with the original motor and push this one into a corner. I can dig into it during the winter but I don't want to get distracted from completing the car.

 

[ah.b.normal]

I haven't done anything other than a visual inspection. I was tempted to swap it in just because it looks better but I think I'll press on with the original motor and push this one into a corner. I can dig into it during the winter but I don't want to get distracted from completing the car.

You're not the first with this dilemma. Stay The Course!

With Engines, pretty don't = runs! More back story or pix of the donor could prove useful! Junkyard rules say in an unwrecked car, Engine disassembled = trans good and the inverse. When the body is crashed so bad it will not drive, the lump is usually ok because it was haulin' butt when it abruptly stopped.(unless it took the brunt of the crash.)

 

[devianteng]

Here's what I'd personally do:

1) Compression test as it sits. Take off the belt, pull the plugs, and one cylinder at a time hook up a compression gauge and jump the starter using a battery.
2) Pull the valve cover to inspect the top end, and look at the timing chain tensioner to determine if it's the old style or new. If it's the old style, you'll definitely want to plan to replacing the timing stuff.
3) Use a borescope to look at the top of the pistons to see how they look, through the spark plug holes. The LSJ is an interference engine, meaning if something goes wrong (jumps timing, etc), the piston and valves can kiss and you should be able to see this with a scope.
4) Drain and inspect the oil and oil filter for metal flakes.
5) Pull the oil pan and inspect things like rod caps/bolts, play in the rods, oil squirters, etc.

If all that looks good, then I'd be comfortable enough to pull the trans to inspect the clutch and flywheel. Probably replace the main seals while I was down there. I'd personally be comfortable to put it in the car at that point. IMO, pulling the engine out of the Goblin is super easy with a pair of jack stands, floor jack, furniture dolly and engine hoist. I can probably do it in 30-45 minutes at this point lol.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Sounds like an excellent plan of action over the winter. For now, I've swapped the gutted compressor onto my original engine and remounted it into the frame. The new wiring harness is in place but the grey square multiplug in the fuse box has stripped threads. The 7mm stud on the fuse panel wont grab onto it. I could just press them together but I would hate to be out on the road and they come apart and disable the car. First thing I want to try is a helicoil. Then it's on to finishing out the plumbing for the rad and heat exchanger.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

She lives! Kinda. Turn key to on and i hear a whole bunch of relays click and the fuel pump primes. Turn key to start and the engine barks off. Revs to a couple thousand and then settles back down to idle, coughs a couple times, then dies. Whole thing happens in about 4-5 seconds. Seems like maybe a vacuum leak? I'll try to video it tomorrow since the kids are asleep and this thing is LOUD with straight headers.

Aren't these cars supposed to have a clutch pedal lockout? Mine cranks without pressing the clutch.

Edit: it's giving a p0452 code.

 

[Rttoys]

That’s an evap code that doesn’t matter.

check for vac leaks first. Then go from there.

 

[Robinjo]

How many times did it crank and die? 1 or 2 is expected.

 

[mike_sno]

Aren't these cars supposed to have a clutch pedal lockout? Mine cranks without pressing the clutch.

Edit: it's giving a p0452 code.

Mine has. What happens if you press the clutch, does it crank as well?

 

[TheAnesthetist]

How many times did it crank and die? 1 or 2 is expected.

Happened 5 or 6 times. At first I thought it might just be the fuel pump needing to purge air from the line but it kept doing the same thing and I didn't want to keep trying.

Mike- it cranks whether the clutch is pressed or not. Guess I'll just have to be very vigilant about checking for neutral when starting the car.

 

[comegetjoe]

Guess I'll just have to be very vigilant about checking for neutral when starting the car.

Pop it nuetral and click off the shifter cables from the trans.... put it on stands in the rear...something. Thats scary stuff.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Pop it nuetral and click off the shifter cables from the trans.... put it on stands in the rear...something. Thats scary stuff.

Oh I'm still on jack stands. Haven't even begun to put the rear end together. It has to be a wiring issue. Story of my life.

 

[Robinjo]

Mike- it cranks whether the clutch is pressed or not. Guess I'll just have to be very vigilant about checking for neutral when starting the car.

That's how I 'lost' my rowing machine. I now have my clutch switch re-connected. Be careful, the car will not stop if you turn the key and it's in gear.

 

[ah.b.normal]

Happened 5 or 6 times. At first I thought it might just be the fuel pump needing to purge air from the line but it kept doing the same thing and I didn't want to keep trying.

Mike- it cranks whether the clutch is pressed or not. Guess I'll just have to be very vigilant about checking for neutral when starting the car.

Maybe you have the Brake and Clutch pedal connectors swapped? Easy to do on 07 and later wiring, I don't recall about 05-06? Bad clutch(neutral safety start) switch? Dead short on Clutch switch wiring?

 

[TheAnesthetist]

Maybe you have the Brake and Clutch pedal connectors swapped? Easy to do on 07 and later wiring, I don't recall about 05-06? Bad clutch(neutral safety start) switch?

That's entirely possible, Thad. None of these connectors came back labeled. I'll check that first and report back.

 

[ah.b.normal]

That's entirely possible, Thad. None of these connectors came back labeled. I'll check that first and report back.

Now it is an older Porsche!
In the early 80's a Doc friend of mine got a(possibly new?) 911. His wife decided to warm it up for him early one morning, drove it into work bench on the garage wall and crushed the main house water and sewer lines! Don't worry, it also did some minor electrical damage and knocked over their china cabinet destroying their wedding china as well. A year later, when she could laugh about it she exclaimed, "I couldn't have done more destruction IF I had tried!"

 

[ah.b.normal]

If they are swapped and you have tail lights hooked up the brake lights will come on when the clutch is depressed and the car will believe it is in neutral, these 2 switches work exactly reverse of one another.

 

[TheAnesthetist]

@ah.b.normal was right. The brake and clutch switches were backwards. Now I can start my goblin without fear of it running me over.

Here's a video of what it's doing. I don't see any open vacuum leaks. Does it matter that the MAF is just dangling in the atmosphere? Maybe a lack of back pressure with a straight pipe exhaust and no muffler? PCV tube is not connected to anything but I don't think that would explain it either.